Dump-wagon.



W. ATKINS.

DUMP WAGON.

APPLICATION' FILED JAN.I.1915.

,293,299 Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

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WILLIAM ATKINS, OF AUBURN, N'EW YORK.

DUMP-WAGON.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgntd 001;'. 31, 1916.

Application filed January '7, 1915.. Seria-1 No. 988.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ATKrNs, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Auburn, in the county of Cayuga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Du-mp-lagons, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying' drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in couplings for wagon trains of the class set'forth in my allowed application #582,678, filed Sept. 19, 1910, resulting in Patent #1,122,241. issued Dec. 29, 1914, and is similar in some respects to the couplings set forth in my pending application :$616,136. filed Mar. 22', 1911 resulting in Patent No. iaioe, May 2.5, 1915, in thatv it contemplates the use of a draw-head hinged to one end of atwo-wheeled dump car or wagon to swing vertically and a draw-bar pivotally connected to the drawhead to swing laterally with means for permitting the draw-head and draw-bar to turn transversely to each other. VThese cars or wagons are adapted to be propelled by motor tractors or animal power for hauling loads of sand,Y gravel, broken stone and other materials from place to place over more or less uneven roadways inthe construction othighways and other road-beds and Jfor any other purpose for which a wagon train of this character might be used.

Heretofore, considerable diiiiculty has been experienced in connecting or coupling theiloaded cars or units to each other and to the motor tractor, particularly when such loaded car or unit which is to be connected to the train is out of alinement therewith, under which conditions it has been necessary to either manipulate the train backward and forward by repeated operations in order to bring the cars to be coupled into approximate alinement, or more frequently to employ some extra means, as a chain or other temporary connection, fory drawing the loaded car to be coupled into sufficiently close alinement to receive the permanent coupling, all of which results in considerable annoyance and loss of time, and also necessitates the carrving'of these extra connections for temporary use.

The main object is to provide a simple,

durable and efcient coupling .which will not only permit the units of the train to rock or tilt transversely and verticallyV relatively to each other, but will also enable those units to be easily and quickly coupled and uncoupled even though theymay be considerably out of alinement without the use of temporary connections for bringing them into such alinement, thereby avoiding the annoyances and delays previously referred to. l

Another object is to provide means for automatically locking the draw-bar to the draw-head as the adjacent ends of the cars to be coupled are brought into operative proximity.

A Jfurther object is to permit the locking device to be quickly released by an operator from one side `of the train.

A stillV further obj ect isV to provide meansY for locking the draw-head and draw-bar against relative lateral rocking movement.

Other objects and uses will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings Fioure 1 is a top planof a pair of two-wheeled cars or units connected to form a four-wheeled wagon and showing my improved couplings on tlie outer ends of each car. Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan, partly inv section, of one of the couplings and adjacent end of one of the dump boxes to which the coupling is attached. Fig. 3 is an end view, partly in section. of the same coupling taken on line Y 3 3, Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detailsectional views taken respectively on lines 1 -f1, 5 5, and 6 6, Fig. 2.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have shown a pair of twowheeled cars 1 V coupled together to form a portion of a Vwagon train and each consisting of a dump box Q mounted upon supportingV wheels 3- and provided with lengthwise bottom doors 4 which may be hinged in any well known manner to the sides of the box to swing downwardly and laterally in the act of discharging the load. The opening and closingro'f the doors lmay be controlledby any of the well known mechanisms, such as under-running cables 5 adapted to be wound, upon drums 6 on one end of the dump box.

lOO

As illustrated the adjacent ends of theV cars 1 are provided with rigid'drawheads 7 connected by draw-bars 8 hereinafter more Y other ends of the cars are provided with vertically movableV draw-heads 9 secured fully described. VThe at their inner ends to separate rocli shafts -lO- which are journaled in bearings -llon the adjacent ends ot opposite sides of their respective boxes -2-. Each draw head 9 is substantially rectangular in top plan and extends from side to side nearly the full width of the box and consists of upper and lower parallel plates 12- and -l2- spaced apart and connected at the sides by side-plates d-13-- to form an intervening opening of approximately the full. width of the draw-head and extending from the front end thereof to the rock shaft -10- for receiving the adjacent end of a draw-bar -8- of the same construction as that which connects the adjacent ends of the cars.

The plates 12- and -12- are pro vided with central lengthwise slots F15- and -15- extending from their outer ends to points in proximity to the rock shaft 10- in vertical alinement for receiving a coupling pin 16- which is also passed through an aperture 17- in the adjacent end of the draw-bar to form a pivotal connection between the draw-bar and drawhead and allow those parts to turn relative-,li7 to each other.

The portion of the coupling pin 16- which passes through the draw-bar t3- and lower plate -l2q is of less diameter than its upper end which passes through and some distance above the upper plate, thus forming a shoulder which rests upon the upper side of the draw-bar to limit the downward movement of the coupling pin, as shown moie clearly in Figs. el and 5, the

width of the slots -15- and -15- cor-V iesponding to the diameters of the adjacent portions of said coupling pin. The object of these slots is to form a lengthwise way or guide for the coupling pin and to permit the latter to be inserted into the aperture in the draw-bar at any point in the length of the slot, so that in coupling two cars or units which may be more or less out of alineinent with each other, it is only necessary to bring them in such relation that some portion of the slot or guide-way is within the range of sweep of the apertui'ed end of the draw rod, whereby such end may be registered with the slot to enable the coupling pin to be inserted through both slots andthe aperture 17- in the draw-bar, thus establishing connection between the two cars and permitting them to be brought into aliiiement by drawing the train in one direction or the other, it being understood that the opposite end of the draw-bar is pivotally connected to the adjacent car and permits lateral rocking movement of the end which receives the coiipling-pin -17- through the entire width of the free end of the draw-head which permits the cars to be coupled even though they may be out of alinement a dis- `clearly' in Fig. 2. The opposite arms tance approximately the full width of said draw-head. llvlhen the cars are thus connected by the coupling pin they may be brought into closer operative relation by manipulation of the tractor or other motor power, thereby causing the coupling pin to ride along thev open side of the hook with the slots so that Y when the coupling pin approaches the inner ends of the slots it will encounter the shorter arm of the hook and automatically rock said hook to its lookin@V osition. as shown more 18- of f the hooks 18- extend laterally to one side of the draw-head when in their locking positions and automatically interlock with suitable detents -22- on a rock? ing member -23- which is journaled on the adjacent end of the rock shaft lO- The front ends of these detents -22- are beveled as shown more clearly in Fig. 6 to permit the arms -lS- to ride thereunder for interlocking `engagement therewith as the hook 18- is force-d to `its locking position by the coupling pin 1G- These locking members 18m are adapted to be returned to their normal inoperative positions by means of a coil spring Q4- surrounding` the pivotal bolt w20- and having one end secured thereto, and its other end secured to the lower plate -12- as shown more clearly in Fig. 5, thus permitting the release of the locking members -18- by simply tripping the det-ents Q2- by hand or by any other available means. f

The locking members--lQ- are provided l with open-sided slots -19- registering f with the opening in the hook -18- when the latter is in its locking position to engage and additionally lock the coupling pin at the limit of its inward movement, as`

-l9-, whereupon the locking members asY draw-head and serves to receive a cross-V head or sleeve -30- in which the draw-bar -S- is movable endwise, said sleeve serving as a wear-piece to protect the draw-bar from excessive wear. This sleeve is provided with oppositely projecting studs 8lguided in lengthwise slots -32 in the plates Q8- to permit lateral swinging movement of the draw-bar -8- through substantially the full width of the drawhead. f

In some instances, it is desired to lock the draw-bar and draw-head against relative lateral movement and for this purpose have provided the outer end of each drawhead with opposite locking mem-bers 33 having their outer ends pivoted at S4- to permit their inner ends to swing vertically into and out of engagement with opposite sides of the draw-bar -8-, as shown by full lines and dotted lines in Fig. 3, said locking members -33- being provided with handles -35- by which they may be manipulated and which also serve as stops for limiting the downward movement of those locking members. Each draw-head is connected to the adjacent end of the box by means of a spring -37- which is adjusted to normally hold the draw-head in a substantially horizontal position, and at the same time to permit it to move vertically as the cars to which the draw-heads are attached pass over uneven surfaces. rlhe end of each draw-bar, opposite that which receives the coupling pin -16, is provided with a draft section -8- movable longitudinally and turnable therein, the outer end of the -section -S being provided with an eye -40- for attachment to another coupling pin or bolt on the adjacent draw-head of another car. A buffer spring -fllis interposed between a head -42- on the inner end of the draw-bar section -8- and a shoulder -43 on the adjacent end of the draw-bar -S- to prevent excessive shock or j ar to the various units of the train, particularly in starting.

The draw-bar -S- connecting the adj acent ends of the cars shown in Fig. l is the same as that just described, and therefore, these draw-bars are interchangeable, the telescoping connections between the sections -8- and -8- permitting the cars to turn or tilt transversely relatively to each other members -18- and their detents 22 fby transmitting such strain directly to the locking members -19- in the direct line of draft passing through the pivotal bolt -21-, said locking members -19- being guided in their rocking movement by guides -50, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and t.

What l claim is:-

l. A draft coupling for wagon-trains comprising a draw-head hinged at one end to swing about a horizontal axis and having its other end provided with a laterally elongated guide-way, a cross-head movable along the guide-way and provided with a lengthwise opening therethrough, a drawbar slidable endwise in said opening, and

means for pivotally connecting the drawbar to the draw-head at a point between the cross-head and axis of movement of the draw-head to allow said draw-head and draw-bar to swing laterally relatively to each other.

2. A draft coupling for wagon-trains comprising a draw-head hinged at one end to swing about a horizontal axis and having its other end provided with a laterally elongated guide-way,a cross-head movable along the guide-way and provided with a lengthwise opening therethrough, a draw-bar slidable endwise in said opening, means for pivotally connecting the draw-bar to the'drawhead at a point between the cross-head and axis of movement of the draw-head to allow said draw-head and draw-bar to swing laterally relatively to each other, and movable means for locking and releasing the crosseal in and from fixed relation to the draw- 3. Al draft coupling for wagon-trains comprising a draw-head hinged at one end to swing about a horizontal axis and having its other end provided with a laterally elongated guide-way, said draw-head also having a lengthwise guide-way, a hollow crosshead movable along the laterally elongated guide-way, a draw-rod slidable endwise in the cross-head and provided with a coupling pin movable along the lengthwise guideway, and movable means for locking and releasing the coupling pin in and from a certain position in Vsaid lengthwise guidewav.

4. A draft coupling for road vehicles comprising a draw-head hinged at one end to the vehicle and provided with a lengthwise guide-way, an axially movable drawbar having one end provided with a coupling pin guided in said way, and movable means for locking and releasing the coupling pin in and from a position nearer tol tnting a pivot about which the draw-bar and draw-head are relatively movable, and movable meansior locking and releasing the-draw-loar and draw-head in and from a denite position.

6.1i draft coupling for road vehicles comprising a draw-head having a lengthwise guide-way and a transverse guide-way, a coupling pin slidable in the lengthwise guide-way, a hollow cross-head slidable in the transverse guide-waand a draw-bar engaged with the coupling pin and slidalole endwise in the cross-head.

7. draft coupling for road vehicles comprising a draw-head having a lengthwise guide-way and a transverse guide-way, a Coupling pin slidalole in the lengthwise guide-way, a hollow cross-head slidable in the transverse guide-way, a draw-bar engaged with the coupling pin Vand slidalole endwise. in the cross-head, and movable means for locking and releasing the cou- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

pling pin in and from a definite position with reference to the lengthwiseguide-Way.

8. A draft coupling for road vehicles comprising `a draw-head having alength- Y a coupling pin slidable in the lengthwisel guide-way, a hollow-oross-head slidable in the transverse guide-way, a draw-baren gaged with the coupling pin and slidable endwise in the cross-head, movable means for locking and releasing the coupling pin in and from a definite position with reerenC-eV to the lengthwise guide-way, and movable Y means for looking and releasing the oros-shead in and Vfrom a definite position` with reference to the transverse guide-wav.A

lnfwitness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of'Deeemloer,l 1911i.'

VILLIAM ATKINS.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHASE,l ALICE M. CANNON.

Washington, D. C. 

